Maha Shivaratri was celebrated with devotion and prayers to Saccidanandeswara Shiva Lingam omn 24th February 2017. The night long vigil of prayers, music and rituals concluded at the dawn of 25 February 2017.

On 23 February (previous day of Maha Shivaratri), Girija Kalyanam was performed in Datta temple. In the evening,Venkatamakhi Samsmaranotsva & Thyagaraja Aradhana was observed in Nada Mantapa. Musicians from Mysuru & Bengaluru sang in unison the Lakshya & Lakhsna Geetha of the acclaimed musicologist and ancestor of Sri Swamiji - Sri.Venkatamakhi. They also sang the Ghana Raga Pancha Ratna Kritis of Sri.Thyagaraja Swami.

On 24 February 2017, Maha Sivaratri was celebrated at Datta Peetham. The day started with Maha Rudra Homa at 6 AM in Nada Mantapa Yaga Shala.

Sri Bala Swamiji performed Sri Chakra Puja.

HH Sri Swamiji offered Maha Purnahuti of Rudra Homa.

Sri.Radhakrishnan, minister of state for education, governmnent of Sri Lanka took Darshana. He was honored. He welcoemd Sri Swamiji to visit Shankari Devi temple and Seetha Mata temple in Sri Lanka. The 6th edition of Pujya Swamiji's biography in Russian language was released. Translator, Mr.Dubyansky was honored. Sri.Mani Shankar, film director & his son, Bhairav (from Avantari technologies) offered the glimpse of a cutting edge technology called "integrated augemented reality". This newly developed app called "divine darshan" will bring Sri Swamiji to homes of devotees. Those interesed can register to get more information on www.sgsdivinedarshan.com. This app is slated to be released on Yugadi this year.

From 10.30 PM, Mysuru & Bengaluru Ashrama bhajan group sang Dvadasha Jyotirlinga Bhajans composed by Sri Swamiji. It was led by Vid.Shivashankara Swamy of Mysuru. As they sang each of the 12 Bhajans, 12 Shiva Lingas emerged from the Himalaya set put up on Poundareeka Ranga Sthala stage. Sri Swamiji sat in the centre of the stage. It was a divine sight to witness the emergence of Maha Lingam at the sacred Lingodhbhava Muhurtam at midnight. Thousands of devotees chanted "Om Namah Shivaya" hundreds of times to the frenzy of drumming.

Just as Prasad said we were the first to have Datta Kankanam (bracelet). And then all Peethams (spiritual organizations) and Swamijis started having a Datta Kankanam. Second, we started the Datta Vastram. Everyone else too started after that. Thanks. Before that, they did not know. They hesitated to have Datta Kankanam or Datta Vastram. Suddenly people changed after Ganapathy started. After Puttugam, everyone started. I started using digital media for spiritual propagation. Every Swamy started doing so after. Okay, no problem. Thanks. I am very happy.

Earlier, they hesitated to have a Facebook page. They would resist going to Facebook. They didn’t want to have a spiritual badge or wear a dot on their forehead on their Facebook page. Now, that has changed.

I want to take spirituality to every household. I want to carry spiritual ideas to each house, each human being. We should protect our culture. We should protect our truth. That is why, Swamiji is implementing His ideas in different ways. They are successful. Very good. And then everyone else also started (implementing those ideas). Okay. Thanks.

Then, Swamiji is thinking about new technologies like Augmented Reality. Why not we start (using this technology)? I am only just thinking about it. Then suddenly one day, Bhairav and his father Mani Shankar came and they explained this magic (of Augmented Reality). I am very happy. I already knew about it and read about it in some magazines. Those are big details I do not want to go into. In my mind, I was thinking about how this can become reality? We want to give everyone such a technology. Suddenly, they came to Vijayawada and showed me the technology for this. I was excited for a few minutes. I know the background history. I am very happy about this.

Before the advent of the iPhone, I was sitting at JDRC and explaining to Anupindi and a few other scientists. “This is a very big problem, I am carrying all these books. What is this? (carrying) One item is good. The iPhone started after 3 years. I was very happy. It was very useful. I will tell you one thing. I do not like to say this, but when Swamiji thinks about technical objects or systems, the public suddenly starts adopting it after 15 days or 1 month or 1 year. That is okay. I am very happy. I am not thinking and developing it, I am not a scientist, it is only a sankalpam (thought/determination). It is only my idea. That is good fruit okay. I do not want to become a scientist and do not want credit for it by putting my name first. I am not human, I do not want it. When Appaji is on a plane – that is where I spend most of my time anyway – I have many thoughts and ideas. After 6 months or one year, all those things get done in the market. People may laugh when they seem the new technology, but I do not laugh. I already knew in my mind. I do not say it publicly. If I say that I already knew, it will not look good. I tell only Prasad and other devotees near me.

I only talk about the technical stuff, not the spiritual energy. “Someone will come, he will go to a hospital, he will be fine after…” all that is a different subject. That is why you all come to me. But I am talking about the technical items. Like that Mani Shankar, Bhairav, Rohini his daughter, all worked hard, out of love. There is another new one coming. I’ll show tomorrow or day after. They’ll give you a design. Based on the design, you will see different forms (of Swamiji). So, there’ll be one (form) for housewarming, there will be one wishing happy birthday. You will see all that. You saw Swamiji standing in the Augmented Reality and I showed how you could do circumambulation even. You must register on the website they give you. You may need to pay something for registration. It is okay to pay some money. Just by having a phone, you can have Swamiji’s Darshan. In the future, you will be able to watch on TV and even see in 3d. You must go quickly register. Whether or not the app comes, you must register. Then, if you register, you will get priority. If you are first to register, you will get the app first. They will give the website address. Go and register for the Augmented Reality app. It is like a miracle. What is this about Swamiji coming home? It is happening digitally. I do not know how tricks happen and how he comes. He comes, that is all that matters.

Importantly today, the Minister for Education for Sri Lanka Sri Radhakrishnan has come to invite Swamiji to Sri Lanka. He came here on Shivaratri day. We all have chanted the prayer Tvamasmin Karya Niryoge. That is the place where this prayer was recited. I want to go there after July. Till Guru Purnima, we’ll have a lot of crowd here. It is a week long program (in Sri Lanka). Those who want to, can come. It is close by, like Chennai. We can go see the temple. We can also see the Trincomalee temple. He has come to inaugurate the Puttugam statue and the garden. People in Sri Lanka are all spiritually inclined. May Sri Lanka have peace. Happy birthday again to Puttugam.

You all must subscribe to the Puttugam page on Facebook. Many of you have not. Everyone must subscribe. There are 1,30,000 subscribers. Let there be 10k more. The Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji Facebook page has 52 lakh subscribers. You must also join the page. It has 5.2 million subscribers. Wow! There are so many people. I don’t know when you will join. If you want to be friends with Puttugam on Facebook, you must wear a Datta Vastram in your profile photo. Setup your Facebook profile picture with Datta Vastram and send a friend request. If you don’t wear Datta Vastram I will reject your request regardless of how good a devotee you are. There is a Facebook page called Puttugam that everyone can subscribe to. Same with Sri Ganpathy Sachchidananda Swamiji page. You must subscribe.

How many have SGS Posts? Raise your hand. I am very happy. How many do not have? Now, please get the app. If you do not know how to, people sitting next to you can help you. It is free to download. Srimad Bhagavatam episodes are also on the app now. You must get SGS Posts. They may be in English language, does not matter. I am also thinking about Russian and Japanese languages. There are European and German devotees too. Sabari will help with German language and Russian and Japanese devotees will help with the respective languages. I want the messages in all languages. Swamiji’s teachings (Tattva) should come in all languages. The messages are only 1 or 2 lines long. Srimad Bhagavatam is less than 10 minutes long. It comes with English translation. Don’t miss. We need to go the inauguration, we are getting late.

We are all observing Puttugam birthday.

Water is very scarce. Our well is dried up. We managed to drill another bore well with difficulty. All six bore wells have dried up. Only Swamiji’s bore well is okay but the water is not enough. We do not get Cauvery water. They have stopped that. That is why, please use water sparingly. Do not wash your clothes here. Just soak them in water and dry then, but do not soap and wash your clothes while keeping the water running. Many keep the water running. Please remember me when you turn the faucet on. Protect the Ashrama. IT is embarrassing to get a water tanker. When you open the faucet, do not forget to close it. Do not use too much water. Limit usage. This year, I do not know why, the bore wells have dried up. Swamij’s bore well water is what we are all drinking. We need plenty of water to drink. You stand under the shower chanting Shiva Shiva Shiva Shiva Shiva. That will not work. We are doing ablutions (Abhisheka) so we can get good rains. We are doing Sahasra Kalasha Abhisheka (with 1000 kalashas). Do not waste water.

Get small portions of food servings. Go back for more, they will happily serve you. Do not serve yourself too much food and waste it. There might be too little salt or something else may be off and you may not eat the whole thing. You can always go back for more once you eat. It’s a buffet system, so you can eat all you want. Volunteers please check. Devotees should observe the people next to them – Swamiji is saying, please don’t waste food. They waste so much food. I go there and see…I get tears in my eyes. They are throwing away half the food. I even wondered if I should stop food donation. I never thought about it before. But now I am having to because you are throwing away the food. I thought I should probably have a canteen. It will not be free food anymore. It will be because of you. Telugu devotees, do not throw the food. Promise that you will not. The Telugu people are the ones. You serve yourself plenty of food. If you did, you must eat it, why did you serve yourself so much?

Every one register for the birthday. You can sign up for souvenir. You can sign up for quarter or half or a full page. Will you do it? Raise your hand. Everyone go and register. You may only half the amount for a half page and a quarter amount for the quarter page and even lesser for a smaller space. You can sponsor small spaces – there will be 10-20 per page. They will take as many ads as possible. All the money goes to food donation (Annadanam).

Let us go to inauguration of Puttugam statue. It is very hot, be safe.

Sri Guru Datta

Maha Shivaratri message after midnight

Oṃ Namaḥ Shivāya Oṃ Namaḥ Shivāya - Oṃ Namaḥ Shivāya

It is said that Shiva showered nectar (amrita) upon the Devatas. You perhaps may wonder, ‘When Vishnu is the Lord who showered nectar upon Devatas, how did Shiva come into the picture?’ Shiva is credited with showering nectar because He is ‘Viṣakanṭha garaḷakanṭha’- He is the Lord who swallowed poison. After swallowing poison what is left? Nectar. After darkness is eliminated what is left? Illumination. After spiritual ignorance is destroyed what remains? Spiritual knowledge. As the Lord swallowed poison, only nectar remained. This nectar was distributed among the Devatas.

The topic for today’s discourse is from Brahma purāna, Skanda-purāna. It is a conversation between Mother Goddess Uma (Parvati) and Lord Shiva. Even sacred texts Guru Geeta and Bhagawatam have their origin in the conversations between Shiva and Parvati! While they were discussing, the egg hatched and the new born bird heard the entire discussions. Do you see this *** kept here beside me on the stage? It is an akshaya pātra (inexhaustible vessel). If 1 gem is put into it, 10 gems emerge. If 10 gems are put, 100 emerge. If 1000 gems are put, 1 lakh gems emerge. Anything dropped into it, multiplies. Based on Swamiji’s intent (sankalpa), if He takes a gem stone which is encased in gold and drops it into this ***, then the *** will be filled with 10 identical gems. The beauty is that these gems multiply only as long as I distribute them. If gems are not distributed, they convert into Vibhuti. Again until next Shivaratri the Vibhuti in this *** will be stored safely.